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jcreads85's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This may be the strangest book I’ve ever read.
To be honest, I'm not sure what to say about this book. It is written in parts, as if short stories. But they are all by the same author with the same undercurrent - an apocalyptic virus freed from the permafrost in Siberia. The stories are each unique points of view from all over the world, though most will have a character, place, or thing that was mentioned in another story. The stories span time and space, and even plains of reality. And the actual virus described is terrifying and other worldly.
I listened to this book on audio, the full cast was remarkable. And though disturbing content, the tale was very compelling.
I'd say, my biggest complaint, is that for each point of view you only get a moment in time. And some you really want to follow-longer. It's as if someone else has control of the channels, and flip them at will.
And while there isn't an ending, per se, there is an explanation of events...from an other worldly point of view.
Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic
cassiafied's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic
abyjo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I loved all the references to past stories as the story continued.
Graphic: Grief, Abandonment, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, and Suicide
alexhodge's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Suicide, Terminal illness, Grief, and Pandemic/Epidemic
otakatoe3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Racism, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Pandemic/Epidemic
spicytomato's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Suicide, and Pandemic/Epidemic
st_ender's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Body horror and Medical trauma
Minor: Body shaming, Cancer, Chronic illness, Confinement, Suicide, and Pregnancy
Extensive discussion of euthanasia, and anything that can possibly happen to a person once they die.traciereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Dysphoria, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Addiction, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Abandonment
lilly_dav_reading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death and Pandemic/Epidemic
hyuzen's review against another edition
5.0
Filled with despair and grief in equal measure to hope and premise, this is a challenging read to start. It deals with very heavy subjects relating to death on a macro and micro scale, across all ages. Grief shatters people, shatters relationships. Sometimes the virus only accelerates issues that were under the surface before. But within all that are people seeking connection.
Across the chapters characters and objects reappear, with new perspectives giving new insight and knowledge that makes you want to go back and re-read earlier chapters to appreciate them in new ways.
As an aside, I think this book is a great example of why StoryGraph's review categories seem limiting. Trying to distill this down to whether it's character or plot focused, or whether the characters were loveable just feels like it's missing the point.
But that's beside the point. This was a remarkable read and if you can handle the darkness you'll be rewarded.
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Terminal illness, and Death of parent